Resources for crystallographic education

Crystallography and sustainability

[John R. Helliwell]

The 2015 American Crystallographic Association Transactions Symposium on Crystallography for Sustainability took place in Philadelphia on 26 July 2015. This multidisciplinary symposium focused on the cutting edge impact of crystallography-based research on global aspects of the sustainability of world resources, including green chemistry, the globalization of chemistry, and responsibilities and opportunities to serve the broader public. It covered such aspects as the lead role of crystallography in the design of materials and in the design of processes which reduce energy consumption, protect clean water supplies, provide unique environmental benefits, enable new medicines, or provide new greener routes to chemicals and materials. The Transaction Symposium highlighted the unique roles of crystallography in achieving major societal goals. Special attention was given to providing international perspectives related to both areas of critical need, such as the supply of medicines and clean water and energy to all citizens of the world, and to overcoming the limitations or restrictions of raw materials for products which lead to improved quality of life. John Helliwell explored aspects of sustainability from the perspective of an experienced research crystallographer and scientific editor.

Professor John Helliwell DSc, Emeritus of the University of Manchester, is an experienced research scientist with extensive involvement in academic publishing. He served as Editor-in-Chief of Acta Crystallographica and Chair of the IUCr Journals Commission between 1996 and 2005 and was a Co-editor of Journal of Applied Crystallography between 2005 and 2014. He has been Joint Main Editor of Crystallography Reviews since 2007 and is currently the official IUCr Delegate to CODATA.

Crystallography and Sustainability (MS Powerpoint presentation: 5.3 Mbytes | PDF version: 2.4 Mbytes

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